Cable stripping tool



March 18, 1941. I EDWARDS 2,235,575

CABLE STRIPPING TOOL Filed Jan. 8, 1940 mull INVENTOR. fi/OMA .5 E0 WA R08.

A TTORNEY Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED s'rATEs PATENT OFFICE 5 v I cum smile r001.

Thomas Edwards, San Francisco. Calif. Application January 8, 1940, Serial No.'312,850 4 Claims. (CI. 30-31) This invention relates to improvements in cable stripping tools, and more particularly to acutting tool designed to facilitate theremoval of sheathing from cables or the like.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved tool by means of which the outer covering of cables may be readily removed without damage to the various individual wires thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved tool of the kind characterized, having means for circumferentially cutting the sheathing of cables and for also longitudinally slitting the same.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter or will be indicated in the appended claims or will be obvious.

to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of this application I have elected to show herein certain forms and details of cable stripping tools.

representative of my invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is for the purpose of illustration only, and that therefore it is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations of the invention, nor is it to be given an interpretation such as might have the effect of limiting the claims, short of the true and most comprehensive scope of the invention in the art.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cable stripping tool embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same, showing by the dotted lines the position of one of the cutting elements when in a. disengaged position with respect to the cable;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

r Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing certain parts of the device in disassembled positions; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the other of the cutting elements.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l designates a cylindrical sleeve having a longitudinally disposed slot 2' at its upper side which is preferably open at one of its ends but closed at its other. Extending upwardly from the cylindrical sleeve I and positioned adjacent the slot 2 is a flange 3 having a central opening 4 through which the threaded end of.a bolt 5 loosely extends. The bolt is engaged by a nut 6 which is adapted to adjustably maintain the bolt in a fixed position on the flange 3. Secured to one end of the bolt 5 is a circular disc 1 having a pin 8 projecting therefrom which extends into 5 a notch or slot 3' in the flange 3. The movement of the disc i about its axis is restricted by the engagement of the pin 8 with the flange 3 at the ends of the notch or slot 3'. Positioned in a groovein the side of the disc 1 and clamped securely thereon by means of a plate 9 and screws I0 is a knife blade II which is adapted to project into the cylindrical sleeve I through the slot 2. A handle l2 secured to the knife blade I I serves to pivotally actuate the latter into and out of engagement with a cable C slidably mounting the sleeve I. The handle I2 is also adapted to pull the device along the cable to cause the knife blade to perform the longitudi- .nal slitting operation-with respect to the sheath- 20 mg of the said cable, and it also permits the ro-- tation of the sleeve'to cause the circumferential cutting of the sheathing as will be presently described.

Extending outwardly from the side of the sleeve l near the flange l is a tubular boss I3 having its central opening in direct communication with the interior of the said sleeve. Slidably but non-rotatably positioned in the boss I3 is an elongated block l4 having a knife blade 15 formed at its inner' end and a threaded central opening it provided in its outer end. Extending into the threaded opening IS in the block and operatively engaging therewith is a screw I! having a collar l8 and a finger operating piece I! secured thereto. The screw i1 is normally maintained in a non-retractable position with respect to the boss l3 by a ring 20 which is secured as by screws to the end 01' the said boss. 40 The ring, being in engagement with the collar It, prevents the screw I! from moving outwardly or inwardly as it is rotated by means of the finger piece IS. The turning of the finger piece I I! in a certain direction causes the block l4 to 5 be actuated inwardly to bring the knife blade [5 into cutting engagement with the sheathing of the cable C. The rotation of sleeve I by means of the handle 2 will thereupon move the knife blade l5- in a circular direction to effect the cir- I cumferential cutting of the sheathing of the cable.

-In normal operation the sheathing of the cable is first circumferentially cut by the knife blade it, after which the latter is retracted by the manipulation of the finger piece l9. The knife blade H is then brought into proper cutting engagement with the cable and is normally held in such a position by tightening the nut 6 on the bolt 5 or by manually holding the handle in a suitable position with respect to the cable. The subsequent pulling of the handle l2 in a direction along the length of the'cable causes the longitudinal slitting of the sheathing.

Having described my invention what I claim is: 1. In a cable stripping tool, a sleeve adapted to be slidably mounted on a cable'which is to be stripped of its sheathing, a knife blade adjustably mounted on the sleeve, handle means secured to the knife blade for moving the said knife blade to a position engaging with the sheathing of the cable or to a non-engaging position with respect to said cable, the said handle means secured to the knife blade being adapted for use in drawing the sleeve and knife blade along the cable, whereby the knife blade may be actuated to slit the cable longitudinally. 2. In a cable stripping tool, a sleeve adapted to be slidably mounted on a cable which is to be stripped of its sheathing, a knife blade pivotally mounted on the sleeve and positioned to be brought into cutting engagement with the sheathing of the cable, and a handle secured to the knife blade for moving the knife blade into and out of cutting engagement with the sheathing of the cable and for moving the sleeve and knife blade longitudinally along the cable,

whereby the cable sheathing may be slit length wise.

3. In a cable stripping tool comprising a sleeve adapted to be slidably mounted on a cable which is to be stripped of its sheathing, a knife blade pivotally mounted on the sleeve and positioned to be brought into and out of cutting engagement with the sheathing on the cable, a handle secured to the knife blade for moving the blade into and out of cutting engagement with the sheathing of the cable and for moving the sleeve and knife blade longitudinally along the cable whereby the sheathing may be slit lengthwise, and means carried by the sleeve for confining the pivotal movement of the knife blade within certain limits, whereby the knife blade will not be permitted to penetrate the cable beyond a certain depth.

4. A cable stripping tool comprising a slotted sleeve adapted to be slidably mounted on a cable which is to be stripped of its sheathing, an outwardly projectingfiange secured to the sleeve. a knife blade pivotally secured to the flange and adapted to project through the slot of the sleeve and be brought into cutting engagement with the cables sheathing, and a handle secured to the knife blade for moving the blade into and out of cutting engagement with the sheathing of the cable and for moving the knife blade and 

